


every bit of me a masterpiece

by eagleboycos



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: F/M, Graduation, Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-18 09:15:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19331605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eagleboycos/pseuds/eagleboycos





	every bit of me a masterpiece

Adam’s head swam with all the possibilities. He’d just graduated from a prestigious high school in the top of his class and labeled most improved, most valuable student, and was the valedictorian. Adam looked back at Ronan, Gansey and Henry sitting in a sea of navy blue caps and gowns. He could see all of them from his chair on the stage.

Gansey and Henry gave Adam enthusiastic thumbs up. Ronan just flashed Adam a smile. That smile was motivation enough on it’s own.

Togetherness.

"And now, our final speaker. Please welcome Adam Parrish, Valedictorian of the Aglionby class of 2014!"

As applause erupted, Adam climbed the short set of steps and shook Headmaster Child’s hand. 

Adam stepped up to the microphone. He took a moment, looking out over the crowd. He saw a sea of women in...  _ interesting _ dresses - undoubtedly the entire house of 300 Fox Way - along with Blue, sitting next to Maura and Calla. The Grey Man was on Maura’s other side. He smiled at the group of familiar faces.

_ Togetherness _ .

Adam took a breath, glancing down at his written out speech.

“My name is Adam Parrish.” He began. “I’ve been attending Aglionby these last four years on a near-full scholarship. Now, because of the generosity of the school, I have a bright future and have invitations from two colleges.” Adam could feel Ronan rolling his eyes, but he figured he may as well kiss up a bit.

“Over the next few minutes, I’d like to talk about the people I have to thank, and the people we all have to remember.” That was a nearly word-for-word line from a speech template site, but no one needed to know that.

Adam talked about his teachers, the ones who helped. He did, however, leave out his two Latin professors. He had nothing to thank them for and they were both dead, anyways, and with good reason.

“I wouldn’t be standing here right now if it weren't for a few select people.” Adam said, looking over towards Gansey and Ronan. “Richard Gansey the Third has been one of my closest friends I’ve.. ever had, really.” Adam smiled at Gansey, who looked teary behind his wireframes. “It all started because his car broke down. I happened to work in a mechanic shop, so I knew cars. I stopped to help, and it turns out it was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life.” 

Adam had to stop for a moment, looking down before looking back up with a smile.

“I’d also like to thank Ronan Lynch.” A small ripple of confused and judgemental murmurs passed through the crowd. Everyone knew Ronan as the damaged orphan who nearly flunked out of school. “He’s always been there, since the very beginning of our friendship. Ronan is an amazing listener and an amazing person.” Adam took a small breath, heart pounding.

“And because of those things, I’m glad to call him my boyfriend.” 

The silence was deafening. Adam kept going despite the obvious awkwardness.

“I’d like to thank Blue Sargent, as well. Not many of you know her, but she’s been an amazing friend to me and stuck by my side even when I wasn’t in a great place.” Adam nodded towards Blue, who was smiling tearily, Opal sitting in her lap.

“Lastly,” Adam sighed. “I’d like to say a few words about Noah Czerny.”

Adam had to stop for a moment. Noah’s official passing had been hard on all five of them.

“The amazing mind that thought up Raven Day, the firecracker that I never had the chance to know,” This was half a lie. He had known Noah, but he hadn’t known..  _ Noah. _ “He’s been an inspiration to me. All I’ve heard about him.”

Adam heard weeping from somewhere in the crowd. Noah’s mother? He didn’t let himself look for the woman he’d seen at the funeral. He knew he would start crying if he saw her. 

“He motivated me to keep going when things were rough for me.” Adam said. “All the people I’ve thanked have.” Adam took a shuddery breath.

“So, in Noah’s honor,” Adam took a glance at Headmaster Child, who gave him a reassuring nod. “In Noah’s honor, Headmaster Child has decided to build a monument in the courtyard to honor him.”

The woman weeping sobbed. Adam saw her, now, as she leaned against her husband. The two sisters were next to her, Adam could see. Even from here, their resemblance to Noah was striking. He felt a tear slip down his cheek, and he wiped it away with a small laugh.

“I promised myself I wouldn’t cry, now look at me.” Adam said, taking a breath and smiling again at the crowd. A small humorous murmur rippled through the people. 

After composing himself for a moment. “So, my fellow students, now we’re high school graduates. And soon we’re going to be signing each other's’ yearbooks and saying goodbye. There will be hugs and tears. We’ll do our best to stay in touch. But we’ll be living our lives and doing our best.” Adam sounded so scriptural to him after his impromptu tears.

“As a final thought going forward,” Adam continued, “I’d like to leave you with a quote from one of our fellow classmates.”  Adam looked over at Gansey, smiling as he said: “Excelsior. Ever upward. Thank you all.”

The crowd erupted into applause and began to stand to leave. Adam’s heart hammered in an insane rush of adrenaline. His smile felt like the lower half of his face would fall off. He shook Headmaster Child’s hand again, as well as going down the line of the rich white school board members and money donors, shaking all their hands.  

He made his way back down into the sea of students, for once not minding the rough slaps on the back and cuffs on the back of the head. Usually he hated it, the rough way that rich white boys treated each other. Now, the adrenaline and the relief of high school finally being over was making him careless, bumping fists with strangers in a strange wave of dizzy happiness.

Adam parted from the other students and made his way towards Gansey and Ronan, who both hugged him. Adam hugged back tightly. When they finally let him go, Adam felt someone tap on his shoulder. He turned around with smile, which dropped as he saw who it was.

“Hey, Adam.” He said, scuffing his shoe on the ground in an anxious, sheepish manner.

“Tad.” Adam greeted, voice cold and steely. “What do you want?” The other students, he could handle. But this ableist, homophobic piece of-

“I wanted to say sorry.” Tad said after a second. “I- I mean about all the stuff I said. I didn’t know it was, like..” He searched for words for a moment. “I didn’t know it was a thing I couldn't say. The history of it. And stuff. And I didn't know you were… actually…” Tad looked between Adam and Ronan. 

“You mean you ‘didn’t know’ calling someone a faggot was bad?” Adam asked, sounding exasperated. Ronan made to step forward, fuming, but Adam put his hand up.  “Don’t, Ro.”

“And- And uh, your ear. I didn’t know about that, either. Sorry. For like, sneaking up on you. All that stuff.” Tad continued. 

Adam sighed, animosity fading. “You know what?” He said. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

“Really?” Tad looked up, eyes hopeful.

Adam nodded. “Yeah. Just educate yourself and others. Change happens through knowledge.” Adam replied, feeling a little spark of hope for his classmates. 

Tad nodded. “I will! I’ll do that. Definitely. Thanks, Adam. You’re the man.”  He glanced at Ronan, and back at Adam. “And- uh. Congrats, by the way. For like. You two.” Tad walked off, joining his little clique of friends. 

Adam turned back to Gansey and Ronan. Gansey’s eyebrows were raised upwards, surprised. “This generation has hope after all.” He said. 

“Well look at you, advocate for change.” Ronan said, a small smile on his face. Adam shared a small smirk of amusement with his boyfriend at the humour of Tad's attempt at being an ally. 

“What is this, national Ronan Smiling Day?” Adam joked, lightly hitting Ronan’s arm. Ronan rolled his eyes, taking Adam's hand in his. 

Adam was mid-laugh when he froze. Today was full of unwelcome visitors, but at least he knew that Tad could change. Tad could still be a good person in the future. He was young, hopeful and apologetic, but his gaze landed on someone he thought he would never  _ ever _ have to see again, this man was nothing but a  _ deadbeat _ and a  _ monster _ and a-

“What’s wrong?” Gansey asked, eyebrows drawing in at Adam’s expression. Adam pursed his lips into a line.

There was Robert Parrish, standing in an old suit in tie next to Adam's mother, looking right at him.

Adam was frozen in place. His father’s gaze was an ice-beam, creating a block of ice around Adam. Gansey took a glance behind them; upon seeing Adam’s father, Gansey, The King came to light, face steeling into a glare.

“You can’t be here, Mr. Parrish.” He said. “You need to leave, or I  _ will  _ call security.” Gansey’s tone was snipped and cold.

“I think I can go where I want," The man said gruffly, his muttered accent stealing the 'nt' sound off the end of his sentence.

“Not when you have a restraining order and have been charged in a court of law for the abuse of a minor.” Gansey hissed, eyes on fire.

Ronan made a couple of steps towards Adam’s father, rigid and tense. Gansey followed a step behind him. They stood between Adam and his father like a blockade, both with their arms crossed and shoulders back. Adam felt unreal. It was like when they had strolled into the courtroom all those months ago. Adam felt intensely grateful for his friends. He hated feeling weak, but if there was anything Adam Parrish hated more than charity, it was Robert Parrish. Adam had invited his father, yes, but largely out of spite. He didn’t think he’d actually  _ come _ .

“You need to get out of here and go get your fucking life together.” Ronan’s words cut through Adam’s thoughts. 

“Do you seriously have nothing better to do than stalk a kid just to upset him and risk going back to fucking jail? Bullshit. You’re messed up. You’re a scumbag. You ain’t important. Adam’s gonna grow up to be amazing and you’ll only be able to watch him on the news if you can even _ pay your fucking electric bill. _ ” Ronan spat out the last words, running out of air.

As much as he wished Ronan wouldn’t bring money into this, Adam was amazed that Ronan was doing something without physical violence and so little swearing.

“Get out of here before I beat your ass into the dirt and shit-up your only suit.” Ronan’s voice was a snarl, now. 

Robert Parrish stood rigid next to his wife, eyes looking slightly scared. Adam took joy from that - seeing his  _ father _ scared for once. Adam knew that Robert knew Ronan wasn’t bluffing. Ronan would have won their previous fight if the police hadn’t been called.

“I’m not afraid of you anymore,” Adam spoke up, moving to stand next to Ronan and Gansey. The three clicked into place, not unlike the ley lines had done when Adam fixed them, the broken piece coming back into place to make the line function again. Adam supposed Maura must have been right that three was the most powerful number, because Robert Parrish turned to walk away, arm in arm with his wife and with an angry glare thrown over his shoulder. 

Adam sagged, letting out a breath. 

“You’re going to report him, right? He just broke the restraining order for a full hour and a half.” Gansey said, seeming near-livid. Adam just shrugged weakly. Gansey silenced, quelling his anger for Adam's sake. He put a hand on Adam’s shoulder and gave him an encouraging smile. Ronan took Adam’s hand again and gave a small squeeze.

Adam took a deep breath.

Maybe he hadn’t saved Noah, nor Persephone, nor Aurora, but he did save Ronan, saved Gansey, saved Opal. He’d even possibly even saved Tad god-damn Carruthers.

Best of all, he hadn’t saved himself; his friends had saved him. Noah, Ronan, Gansey, Blue. Henry, even.

Togetherness _. _

Adam took a deep, long breath. He let himself think it in a tiny moment of self indulgence.

_ Togetherness. _


End file.
